The Lynch Syndrome Fight

My name is Christy Jo, and I have Lynch Syndrome.

Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition that increases your risk of colon cancer, endometrial cancer and several other cancers. Doctors estimate that around 3 out of every 100 colon cancers or endometrial cancers are caused by Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome also causes cancers to occur at an earlier age than they might in the general population (Mayo Clinic).

This is my story.

In August of 2011 I walked into an Emergency Room with some stomach pain, not knowing that my life was about to be catapulted into summersaults and flipped upside down. I was a newly enrolled full-time student at Texas Woman’s University working towards achieving my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. Everything came screeching to a halt when the doctors told me that at the young age of 28, I had Stage 4 Colon Cancer. The next few weeks were a blur. Surgeries, doctor appointments, and working out all the details of what exactly that meant for me. I fought long and hard and in March of 2013 I finally got great news! CANCER IS GONE!!! I was in remission, but because of the severity of disease, we continued chemo treatments until February of 2015. During this time, I continued taking courses and in December of 2014, I walked the stage at TWU as a Magna Cum Laude Honor Student and cancer free!

I moved to Austin in Spring of 2015 and got settled in ready to live my new life and move on. Fast forward to July of 2019 when I came back to Dallas area to see my friends and family for my birthday while squeezing in a check up with my oncologist when he realized that something was off. Once again, my world came crashing down around my feet. After a CT and colonoscopy, we confirmed that the cancer had returned aggressively and had already metastasized to organs surrounding the colon and I was facing another stage 4 diagnosis. My doctors moved quick and kicked it all into action immediately. They got the testing complete, put a mediport back in and had me back in the chemo chair within 2 weeks. They knew that we had to move quick and treat aggressive once again. That is when we learned that I had the genetic mutation associated with Lynch’s Syndrome.

It’s been a little over a year since my last chemo and I just found out I have another fight ahead. Luckily I’m surrounded with an army of love and unwavering support.

My mother Kim is my heart. She helps take care of my furrbabes while I am too sick to care for them myself while also making sure that I have everything that I need.

My dad Chuck is my rock. He supports me in every humanly possible way that he knows how. He never falters at providing his bright and shiny outlook on life and keeps my spirit positive when it’s starting to dim.

And my Stepmother Sherry is my MVP. She has taken me to countless appointments, and understands my quiet demeanor and has become a comfort on the hardest days when I don’t want to talk, but need someone just to sit with me.

My boyfriend Shane is the newest member to this elite team and no less special or magical. He has taught me that I deserve life and love too. He holds me on the bad days and celebrates the good next to me.

As a Lynch patient, I have a very long and hard road ahead of me, but it has never been in my nature to quit. I continue to fight hard with my loved ones surrounding me. The hardest part of this beautiful messy life is that financial burdens creep in and start weighing us down with worries that are outside of our control. So I want to thank you for taking the time to read my story and helping any way that you can. It means the world to my family and myself.